Apparatus and method for evaluating proceeding route of guide wire

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image processing system for a catheter operation. One embodiment comprises: a storage unit for at least temporarily storing a plurality of candidate routes on which a guide wire can proceed on a changing route caused by vascular bifurcations while proceeding from a first point by using a blood vessel image; and a processor for selecting, from an image inputted while an operation proceeds, at least one route corresponding to the current shape of the guide wire on the basis of a similarity comparison between the current shape of the guide wire and each of the plurality of candidate routes.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An image processing system for a catheter procedure, the system comprising:
 a memory to at least temporarily store a plurality of candidate routes on which a guidewire is to proceed from a first point as a route is changed by vascular bifurcation points, using a blood vessel image; and 
 a processor configured to select at least one route corresponding to a current shape of the guidewire based on a comparison of similarities between the current shape of the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes, from an image input during the catheter procedure, wherein 
 the processor is configured to evaluate and provide a probability of a match between the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes, the probability of the match being generated by calculating and comparing correlation information between the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to exclude at least one route with low similarity from the plurality of candidate routes. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to correct the similarity referring to a blood vessel image captured while the system is in operation. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of candidate routes comprises at least one of a blood vessel connecting an entry point of the guidewire to a target point or a blood vessel adjacent to the connecting blood vessel. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the similarity considering a deformable shape of the guidewire within a width of a blood vessel of each of the plurality of candidate routes. 
     
     
       6. An image processing method for a catheter procedure comprising:
 storing, in a memory, a plurality of candidate routes on which a guidewire proceeds from a first point using a blood vessel image wherein a route is changed by a vascular bifurcation point; 
 comparing, by a processor, similarities between a current shape of the guidewire and the plurality of candidate routes from an image input during the catheter procedure; and 
 selecting, by the processor, at least one route corresponding to the current shape of the guidewire based on the comparing, wherein 
 the method further comprises evaluating and providing a probability of a match between the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes, the probability of the match being generated by calculating and comparing correlation information between the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes. 
 
     
     
       7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for a catheter procedure, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of candidate routes on which a guidewire proceeds from a first point using a blood vessel image wherein a route is changed by a vascular bifurcation point; 
 comparing similarities between a current shape of the guidewire and the plurality of candidate routes from an image input during the catheter procedure; and 
 selecting at least one route corresponding to the current shape of the guidewire based on the comparing, wherein 
 the method further comprises evaluating and providing a probability of a match between the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes, the probability of the match being generated by calculating and comparing correlation information between the guidewire and each of the plurality of candidate routes. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of candidate routes were extracted from a previous blood vessel image captured before the catheter procedure using contrast media.